


Oh what tangled webs we weave

by Sister_Grimm



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: M/M, Time travel gives Barry a headache
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-09
Updated: 2016-07-09
Packaged: 2018-07-22 14:00:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7441948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sister_Grimm/pseuds/Sister_Grimm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barry does not have time to figure all the differences between the timelines, so he'll just have to wing it</p>
            </blockquote>





	Oh what tangled webs we weave

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the following wonderful flash fic 
> 
> http://nova-arcania.tumblr.com/post/142447901439/imagine-after-the-flash-back-episode
> 
> Thank you so much for letting me play with this

Considering how intensely everything went pear shaped after Barry returned from the past, he hasn't really had time to catalogue all the observable differences between his timeline and this one.

Other than the Hartley thing. That's still weird.

So he's headed up to his lab because he really needs to get his head back into his cases. He notices Hartley lingering in the lobby, checking his watch.

Weird.

But he has like 20 cases that have something that needs processing so assuming Hartley isn't here for crime he heads past him with a strained smile.

His lab looks the same as it did before but the writing on the board is different so he pours coffee and tries to identity which of the case files sitting on his desk he had last been working on in this timeline.

***

The next time he runs into Hartley it's in the line at a very crowded Jitters. It's about nine am so he's not sure why Hartley is here as opposed to at STAR Labs. He watches Hartley order two black coffees and as he steps off to the side Hartley notices him as well, "Hey, Barry."

"Long night?", Barry says awkwardly.

Hartley gives him a confused look, "David was at work late and still had to go in this morning, so I'm bringing him coffee."

"David?", Barry asks.

"Uh...my boyfriend?"

"Oh right, of course. Sorry, my brain is totally fried right now."

"Ce n'est rien.", Hartley says with a shrug before going to collect the two coffees. Barry has no idea what that means but Hartley seems nonchalant. "See you later Barry."

"Uh, yeah.", Barry nods.

***

He strongly considers asking Cisco to catalogue all the differences in the timeline but the differences seem so minute and getting Cisco to peer through time and space runs a risk of getting Zoom's attention which no one wants. They need the small breather he's apparently given them. 

"You ok?", Barry asks. Cisco is sitting at a desk in the Cortex gripping the picture of him and Laurel in her Black Canary costume.

Cisco doesn't so much answer the question as say, "I was upgrading Hartley's gloves. I miss her."

Barry nods, reaching over and giving Cisco's hand a squeeze.

"Why does it feel like Hartley is literally everywhere I go?", Barry asks, wanting to do something, anything, to cheer Cisco up.

"Uh, his boyfriend works with you?", Cisco says, like obviously.

"Right. I knew that."

Barry can't help but try to catalogue all the Davids who work at the precinct. Some he rejects out of hand as either straight or married but he still has about four possible names.

Cisco laughs, "No, you didn't. It's new to this timeline."

"How did you?"

"You've been even spacier than usual since you got back. I'm your best friend, I should hope I notice these things."

"Thanks for not mentioning it."

"Eh, it didn't look like you changed too many things." 

Neither of them mention Hartley.

***

"Allen!", Captain Singh snaps at him as he walks in to the scene with the most apologetic look he can manage.

He'd gotten up in time for once but had stopped to foil a bank robbery on his way to work and had ended up running late anyway.

"Sorry, Captain.", he says sheepishly.

"I have a date tonight and would really like to not have to cancel again. So I would appreciate if we didn't get held up waiting for you.", he's not sure how Captain Singh manages to put so much annoyance into one reasonably calm sounding phrase.

And Barry nods, "On it, sir."

Joe snickers at him, "At least you tried this time."

***

He meets Cisco and Hartley in the lobby of CCPD where they've gathered everyone for the demonstration of the latest version of the BOOT. Homicide, Robbery and the Metahuman Task Force are all there but as a CSI, Barry has no reason to be. So he's about to run back to his lab, when Captain Singh shows up. "Cisco, Hartley. Ready to get started?"

Cisco nods and then Captain Singh turns and notices him, "Damn it, Allen. I told I need fingerprints on the Steward case yesterday!"

Cisco stifles a snort and Hartley glances over at him before smiling, "Be kind to the lab rat, David."

Barry blinks. No. Way.

Just then Joe walks by, "Ready?"

Cisco nods. And Hartley turns back to Captain Singh, "I'll meet you after the demonstration. We'll go that little wrap place down the block."

Captain Singh nods with an easy affectionate smile.

No. Freaking. Way.

***

He flags Joe down when he stops in the lab to ask him about a case.

"Hartley and Captain Singh are dating?"

"Yup.", Joe says with a laugh.

"What happened to Rob?"

"Nothing we can prove.", Joe says dryly.

Barry stops. Hartley wouldn't have killed Rob to steal his husband. That would have been out of character even for his timeline Hartley.

Joe laughs at the stricken expression on Barry's face. "I'm kidding. They broke off the engagement last year. The whole metahuman epidemic put a strain on a lot of cop-civilian relationships."

"Oh.", Barry says awkwardly.

***

"How did reformed attempted super villain Hartley Rathaway end up dating the police captain."

Cisco laughs and grins at him, "You introduced them."

"What.", Barry says flatly.

Cisco is still laughing, "God, I've been waiting for you to figure it out for like a week."

"You're a sick and twisted man.", Barry grumbles.

Hartley walks in, "Why is Cisco twisted? Other than his abysmal taste in t-shirts, of course."

Barry blinks, it's not a mean comment, it sounds more affectionate than anything. "You love my stupid t-shirts.", Cisco says with a laugh.

"They're growing on me.", Hartley allows.

Barry sighs. Time Travel gives him a headache. "How was your date?"

"It was nice. The whole Zoom thing has kind of, well you know.", Hartley sighs.

Barry flounders. He should know this, obviously but he's not sure what Hartley's referencing. Finally Cisco takes pity on his floundering, "Yeah, I can't imagine it's easy to schedule dates when a demonic speedster is devoted to breaking everything."

Hartley nods, "Then there's the whole professionalism thing anyway."

"Does he know you're the Pied Piper?", Barry asks.

Hartley looks at him in surprise, "Of course. You were the one who told me to trust him."

Oh. Oops.

***

He doesn't mean to bust into the office but he has some important news about a suspect in one of the cases Singh has been pushing on. But he stops awkwardly in the door. Captain Singh and Hartley are sitting at Singh's desk, a few takeout containers in between them.

"Allen, is it important?", Singh sighs.

Hartley laughs and swallows the noodles, "Hey, Barry."

"Uh, yeah kind of. It's about the Macy case."

Singh turns to Hartley, "I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's ok. Saving the city is tough work. I get it.", Hartley says reassuringly.

Barry looks in between Singh and Hartley as Hartley gives Singh's hand a squeeze and Singh smiles, "Thank you, Hartley."

He's seen Hartley smile more in the last little while than Hartley ever smiled in his timeline and David leans over and kisses him, "I'll see you at home."

"Of course."

**Author's Note:**

> Nova-Arcania, I loved the "nothing we can prove" line so I hope you don't mind that I kept it in.
> 
> Come visit me   
> Http://notsolittlegirlevenmorelost.tumblr.com


End file.
